1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a water-based cleaning and degreasing composition for automotive parts or other objects contaminated with oil, diesel fuel or grease.
2. Prior Art
Leonard has proposed, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,742, a water-dispersible emulsion type cleaner for industrial and household maintenance comprising a concentrate of an ethylene glycol lower alkyl ether, an alkali hydroxide, a metasilicate, a nonionic ampholyte and an alkali salt of a lower alkylbenzene sulfonate.
Ulvild has proposed, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,497, a degreasing product containing an alkylbenzenesulfonic acid detergent surfactant, a liquid organic solvent, an alkaline builder and water.
Mausner et al. have proposed, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,838, a liquid detergent composition containing an ethanolamine salt of an alkylarylsulfonic acid, an alkoxylated ether of a monohydric alcohol or alkylphenol and a fatty acid alkanolamide. The compositions can be diluted with water at the time of use, but are unstable unless prepared under essentially anhydrous conditions. Mausner et al. have also proposed, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,880, a similar product containing a phosphate builder and one or more cellulose derivatives.
Wixon has proposed, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,753, a detergent composition containing a mixture of arylsulfonate salts, sodium silicate, a fatty acid alkanolamide, ethanol and water.
Other detergent compositions are disclosed by Trowbridge II (U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,280), Ruff et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,829,108), Sato et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,312) and Flanagan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,872).
The foregoing references indicate that compositions useful as medium and heavy duty degreasers contain relatively large amounts of organic solvents, detergent and builder in the aqueous medium employed.
There is therefore a need for medium and heavy duty degreasing compositions which have lower concentrations of organic solvent, detergent and builders than heretofore and which are accordingly inflammable and relatively safe to use.